Community Cultivation's mission is to increase self-sufficiency and quality of life for individuals with disabilities and at risk youth, by offering job skill training and vocational development. We utilize a horticulture environment to enrich our community and work on important social, life, academic and work skills.

Community Cultivation is a vocational, social and life skills development program implemented within a horticulture framework for individuals with disabilities and at risk youth.

In efforts to expand and provide individuals with disabilities and at risk youth the most comprehensive vocational program, Community Cultivation created a business outreach program that identifies local businesses open to working with our participants, and helping to extend their vocational skills and experience into real work opportunities. In 2010, Steamboat Health and Recreation Center and Ciao Gelatos partnered with us to provide a wonderful experience for our clients.

News from the Executive Director

Community Cultivation: A Program of Yampa Valley Autism Program

2013 is the year we realized our dream of a greenhouse. Thanks to the generosity of the Craig Scheckman Foundation, Yampa Valley Community Foundation, City and County of Denver, Denver Garden Show and Living Well we were able to acquire a 22' solar self sustaining greenhouse. Rocky Mountain Youth Corp donated the land and because of the hard work of volunteers and staff we were able to plant and grow our first crops. Yes, the first year was certainly a learning curve, a steep one at that, but now we are in our first winter successfully growing our "cold weather crops" such as spinach, lettuce, arugula, carrots, etc.

We will be returning to the Botanic Park early in the summer of 2014 continuing our work experience program in the raised beds they have generously donated these past six years.

Because we now have a greenhouse, we will be able to start our seedlings earlier to plant at the Botanic Park! This will give us a head start on our short growing season, besides being able to have additional produce that the greenhouse will produce.

We hope you have seen us at the local Farmer's Market each summer selling our produce and the gift items we have made from the produce. Since this summer, we have been selling produce to Rex's restaurants and donating a portion to Lift Up. This additional work experience is invaluable to our young adults giving them extra hours to "hone" their work skills.

So if you see a large dome on your way out on 20 mile road, that's us. Stop by and take a look. We are grateful and proud to be able to expand our horticultural-work experience program.

Lisa Lorenz
Executive Director

Donate Now

If you are interested in volunteering or donating to help our program continue to grow and mature please contact us. Together we have the opportunity to change the course of a person’s life.